1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to raised floor access panels. In particular, it relates to an interchangeable floor panel having leveling, lifting or locking devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Raised floors are commonly used to create a space between a sub-floor and the normal working environment of a room. The sub-floor is the surface that would serve as the floor of a room before a raised floor has been installed. The space between the sub-floor and the raised floor is used to hold electrical wiring and fiber optic cables, to contain an air plenum chase, and more generally to contain anything that must be in a room but is more safely or conveniently enclosed in an area apart from the main area of the room.
Raised floor panels are generally of a solid design or have perforations to allow air flow. The perforated panels allow better ventilation than solid panels and provide a smoother working surface and greater strength than grills. The usual method to support a raised floor is to place a support pedestal under each corner of the floor panels. Innovations in raised floor support structures have focused on refinements in corner support systems. For example, U.K. Patent Application No. 2-267-720-A of Haung describes a system where the corner support pedestals are connected to one another by a grid. Another support system, describing U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,242 of Cline includes stringers attached between support pedestals. Again, the pedestals support the panels at their corners and additional support is achieved at the edges of the panels by the stringers. In a stringer system, the panels and stringers are attached to the pedestal heads using screws.
Various under-structure designs are utilized to support the panel and adjusting levelness of the top working surface is predominantly accomplished through a plurality of adjustable support pedestal heads. Panels are either gravity held or screwed to the adjustable pedestal head. Removal of the panels is accomplished by unscrewing the corner screws, where utilized, and lifting the panel with suction cup lifters. In cases of perforated air flow panels, no common industry standard is supplied for lifting devices which leads to the use of unsafe, non-compliant instruments such as a screwdriver, grasping hook, knives, needle-nose pliers and the like for removal and replacement.
Although the primary purpose of a panel is to structurally support an applied load, they must also be easily and safely removed and re-inserted. This is required for the relocation of work cubicles, equipment, wiring, cabling and air flow disbursement to appropriate heat load designs.
Moreover the use of gravity held panels or corner lock screw panels does not provide secure access to sensitive electronic highways. With either a suction cup lifter or screwdriver, any of the past or present floor panels can be easily removed providing unsecured access to what has become a central nervous system for a great many organizations.
Thus, what is needed is to provide a raised floor access panel which is interchangeable with a variety of floor panel systems together with an integrated lifting device for the safe removal and re-insertion of panels with a key lock system, if so desired. There is also a need for a panel having a screwless corner lock forcing the panel to an underside of an adjustable pedestal stantion. The present invention satisfies these needs.